House GOP urges Columbia donors to pull funds amid campus protests
Republican lawmakers demand leadership changes, investigation into protest funding.
House Republican lawmakers have called on major donors and affiliates of Columbia University to condemn the ongoing anti-Israel protests on campus by withdrawing financial support until significant changes are made, including the resignation of President Minouche Shafik.
In an open letter led by Rep. Eric Burlison (R-Mo.), the lawmakers urged the Ivy League institution's influential alumni and donor network to follow the example of Robert Kraft, the billionaire owner of the New England Patriots, who recently pulled his support in response to the protests, Fox News reports.
"We encourage all supporters of the university to do the same and call for the resignation of President [Minouche] Shafik," they wrote.
"The university should also provide a thorough review of all school funding and investigate the outside forces influencing students and agitators to participate in these disruptive and violent incidents that target and intimidate Jewish students on campus," they continued.
"Additionally, we urge all individuals affiliated with the university to call for a transparent and thorough audit of all university funding concerning the anti-Israel movement on campus, and what outside groups are contributing and influencing students and agitators to participate. "
For days, students at Columbia and its sister school, Barnard College, have camped out on the Upper Manhattan campus, holding demonstrations to protest the university's investments in companies with ties to Israel. The protests are part of a wider progressive backlash against Israel's response to Hamas' October 7 terror attacks against the Jewish state.
The anti-Israel protests have faced bipartisan backlash and accusations of antisemitism. Social media videos from the tent encampment on Columbia's campus show activists cheering on the deaths of Israeli soldiers and expressing support for Hamas. Jewish students have reported feeling unsafe, with some alleging verbal and physical assaults.
The lawmakers' call for action comes a day after House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and other Republican representatives visited Columbia, denouncing the protests and reiterating demands for President Shafik's resignation if she cannot restore order on campus.
Columbia University has not yet responded to requests for comment on the lawmakers' demands.
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